by the pines

Introduction Schizophrenia is a chronic mental illness. People with schizophrenia don’t perceive and respond to the world as most other people do. Paranoid schizophrenia is a subtype of schizophrenia. People with paranoid schizophrenia hold untrue beliefs (delusions) or hear things others don’t hear (auditory hallucinations). The onset of schizophrenia in men is usually in the [...]

Introduction Epilepsy is a disorder that disrupts the transmission of electrical signals inside the brain. Although you may assume that epilepsy always causes episodes of uncontrolled movements and loss of consciousness, the condition is actually quite variable. Symptom episodes — known as seizures — are often subtle, causing strange sensations, emotions and behavior. Some people [...]

Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, potentially debilitating disease that affects your central nervous system, which is made up of your brain and spinal cord. Multiple sclerosis is widely believed to be an autoimmune disease, a condition in which your immune system attacks components of your body as if they’re foreign. In multiple sclerosis, [...]

Introduction Prostate cancer is cancer of the small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces seminal fluid, the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. For many men a diagnosis of prostate cancer can be frightening, not only because of the threat to their lives, but because of the threat to their sexuality. In fact, the possible [...]

Introduction Depression is a disorder that affects your thoughts, moods, feelings, behavior and even your physical health. People used to think it was “all in your head” and that if you really tried, you could “snap out of it” or just “get over it.” But doctors now know that depression is not a weakness, and [...]

Introduction Chronic sinusitis is one of the most commonly diagnosed chronic illnesses in the United States, affecting 30 million to 40 million Americans each year. Chronic sinusitis begins with an inflammation of the mucous membranes in your sinuses — the air-filled passages around your nose and throat. The inflammation causes fluid buildup eventually plugging the [...]

Introduction A migraine can be disabling — with symptoms so severe, all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down. Up to 17 percent of women and 6 percent of men have experienced a migraine. In some cases, these painful headaches are preceded or accompanied by a sensory warning sign [...]

Introduction Depression is a disorder that affects your thoughts, moods, feelings, behavior and even your physical health. People used to think it was “all in your head” and that if you really tried, you could “snap out of it” or just “get over it.” But doctors now know that depression is not a weakness, and [...]

Introduction Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) occur when the electrical impulses in your heart that coordinate your heartbeats don’t function properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Arrhythmias are common and usually harmless. Most people have occasional, irregular heartbeats that may feel like a skipped, fluttering or racing heart. However, some [...]